Hinge.



M. 0. RYAN.

HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24, 19x5.

Patented; Nov. 27, 191?.

MICHAEL C. RYAN, F PHOENIX, NEW YORK.

L24LSAMW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

HINGE.

Patented Nov. 2?, 191W.

Application filed May 24:, 1915. Serial No. 30,099.

. and useful Improvements in Hinges, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in hinges andparticularly to improvements in the hinge of my Patent No. 803,509,dated Got. 31, 1905; and the objects and nature of my invention will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of thefollowing explanation of the accompanying drawing illustrating what Inow believe to be the preferred embodiment or mechanical expression ofmy invention.

The object of the invention is to increase the strength and wearingqualities of certain portions of hinges of the type illustrated by myabove mentioned patent, as well as to improve the same in otherrespects.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and informations, arrangements and combinations as more fully and particularlyset forth and specitied hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1, is a plan of a blank from which the butt leaf or member of thehinge is struck up.

Fig. 2, is a plan view of said member of the hinge.

Fig. 8, is a longitudinal section through both leaves of the hinge on asomewhat enlarged scale.

4, is a plan view of the hinge.

Fig. 5, is an end elevation thereof.

The hinge consists of two loosely joined leaves or members 1, 2, ofwhich the butt leaf or member 1, is preferably composed of a piece ofsheet metal of any desired form or contour having suitable holes orperforations to receive fastening means, and having its pintle endformed with slot 3, to pro vide the hinge cross bar or pintle 4:,connected to the body of the hinge leaf by side bars 8.

The other leaf or member- 2, is also composed of a piece of sheet metalof any suit able form or contour having perforations or holes to receivefastening means. One end of the member 2, is passed around the pintle4:, and through slot 3, of the butt memherand is bent or rolled into anapproxi mately-cylindrical preferably-closed eye 5, of such diameter asto encircle and permit turning movement 011 said bar or pintle.

The member 1, is formed from a sheet metal blank (Fig. 1) having theelongated tapered end, tongue or projection 6. This tongue is formed bycutting triangular pieces from the corners of one end of the blank so asto leave the end portions of the side edges of the blank beveled orconverging from points about in line with the longitudinal axis. of theslot 3, of the completed hinge member to the end edge of the projection.

The pintle of the hinge is formed by doubling back the elongated bevelededge projection approximately on the fold line 7 (Fig. 1) to produce theupper portion 4, joined to the lower portion by the curved portion 4,forming the rounded outer longitudinal edge of the completed pintle,while the opposite edge of the pintle i. cut with the usually parallelmetal edges 4, 4t. The edges t t", are preferably spaced a. distanceapart so that while the two ply pintle is approximately flattened so asnot to completely fill and occupy the eye of the other hinge leaf and soas to be of maximum strength and rigidity by reason of the doubledformation thereof, yet said pintle is also preferably hollow and hooked,Ushaped, or approximately semi-cylindrical in cross section.

The rolled back free end of the elongated beveled edge projection thusforms the pintle with a scraping edge a bearing against the innersurface of the eye 5, and performing the important function of scrapingthe inner surface of said eye, when either leaf of the hinge is swung onthe hinge axis, to prevent the eye becoming united to the pintle by rustor ice. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate the liabilityof hinges exposed to the weather to become locked or bound together orstiffened at the joints between the leaves and to consequently break atsaid joints when force is applied to flex or swing the hinges onor atsaid joints. I avoid this difliculty by providing the hinge with thepintle whereby the hinge joint is greatly strengthened, and furthermore, by providing the pintle with the free or scraping edges 4 l withan intervening space for the clearance of rust, icev or other foreignmaterial, the hinge can clear itself when the joint between the leavesbecome stiffened or locked, without danger tuted the point of greatestweakness,

of breaking the leaves apart at the joint. Furthermore, by providing thepintle of an approximately semi-cylindrical or U-shaped form in crosssection, the pintle can approximately fill say about one half of the eyeand thereby reduce lateral play between the pintle and eye to theminimum.

\Vhile the hinge of my hereinbefore mentioned patent has been sold inlarge'numbers and accomplished the desired results,'yet in hingesintended for certain uses, the flat single ply pintle was weak at ornear the ends of the surrounding eye particularly under excessive straintransversely thereof and the tendency of this pintle under certaincircumstances to tear or break across at the ends of the slot wasincreased by the square or angular ends of the cut forming the slot withright angular outer corners.

In the hinge of the patent where employed for certain purposes, the saidpintle cons?- t e pintle would break before the metal of the hinge eyewould bend sufficiently to open said eye.

The pintle when doubled backaccording to my present invention to formtwo plies, whether said plies are left separated or broughtapproximately together, is so strengthened that thehinge eye becomes thepoint of weakness in the hinge. I accomplish desirable results byfolding back the end of the blank projecting beyond the slot to form thetwo-ply pintle which strengthens the pintle against breaking across ator near its end portions, and also brace and strengthen the pintleagainst transverse fracture or tearing at its end portions by providingthe slot with curved or rounded ends, particularly at the outercornersthereof, thereby increasing the amount of metal at the ends ofthe pintle and avoiding angular slot corners which tend to weaken themetal at such points and to facilitate the starting of tears orfractures. v

While in the specific example illustrated, I show the pintle plies, andtheir edges 4 4?, definitely spaced apart to provide a hol low open sidepintle whereby an advantageous species is provided yet I do not wish tolimit the general features of my invention to the spacing between saidplies and edges, or whether said plies are definitely spaced orapproximately brought together.

The leaf 2, passes beneath the pintle and up through the slot and thenturns outwardly over the pintle and is closed down against thebody ofits leaf 2, outwardly beyond the pintle so that the eye presents anapproximately smooth or seamless inner surface for engagement with thepintle. The

width of the eye 5, is approximately equal to the length of the slot 3,and hence the leaf 1, projects laterally in opposite directions beyondthe ends of the eye. It is ob jectionable to leave outwardly projectingshoulders, ends or corners (such as formed by eye and pintle ends)unguarded inasmuch as such'projections are liable to catch and tear orotherwise damage fabrics, furniture, wood work, or even the hands orother parts of the person. I avoid abrupt shoulders at'the ends of thepintleat, and furthermore, I guard the end edges of the eye 5, bybeveling or tapering the side edges of the projection 6, of the blankfrom which leaf 1, is bent up so that the straight longitudinal edge ofthe superimposed ply of the pintle does not appreciably extend beyondthe ends of the eye 5, and the ends of said superimposed ply graduallytaper off and merge into the side edges of the body of the leaf 1, andform beveled or inclined guard'edges 9, that serve to guard the ends ofthe eye and deflect objects from direct engagement therewith. r

This result and formation is attained by bending up the tapered-edgeouter end of the projection '6, to form the pintle, and in thisconnection the pintle guard edges preferably start at points on the sideedges'of the butt leaf about in line with the longitudinal axis of theslot. I-Iowever,-I do not wish to limit all features of my invention tothe provision of beveled guarding edges at the ends of the pintlealthough I consider this a valuable and important feature in hinges ofthis general type. V 7

As to this beveled guarding edge feature of my invention, I am notlimited to hinges having the particular form of pintle herein shown anddescribed.

It is evident that various departures might be resorted to withoutavoiding the splrit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish tolimit myself to the exact dis-' said pintle, said ends of the pintleextending beyond the ends of said eye. 9; A hinge consisting essentiallyof a leaf having a slot near one end, said end of the leaf being foldedback to form a double pintle parallel with and forming one wall of" theslot, the ends of said pintle being beveled to constitute guardformingedges substantially as described, the edges of the leaf at theends of the slot being beveled approximately in continuation of saidbeveled ends of the pintle, and another leaf having an eye encirclingsaid pintle, said beveled ends of the pintle extending beyond the endsof the eye.

3. A hinge consisting of a leaf having a transverse slot closed at itsends and formed with curved outer corners, the end of the having an eyeextending through said slot 10 and embracing said pintle, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

MICHAEL C. RYAN. Witnesses CLARENCE A. LARNED, CONSTANT E. HUTCHINSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

